The Orlando Magic are finalizing a two-way contract with former Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Adreian Payne that will pave the way for Payne to spend most of the upcoming season playing for the Magic’s G League affiliate in Lakeland, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Orlando Sentinel.

10. DRAYMOND GREEN, WARRIORSIf Green (10.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.0 APG) comes off as arrogant, it’s only because he knows exactly how good he is. He’s seen entire possessions smothered by his coverage alone, bouncing from one threat to the next as if they weren’t half the court apart. He’s experienced the Warriors’ offense at its highest gear, which so often relies on his playmaking as its beating heart. He also watched as Golden State lost its edge in Game 5 of the the 2016 Finals without him. That a suspended Green put himself in that predicament with a nut-kicking spree is an unfortunate part of the experience. In the end, his absence affirmed—somewhat cruelly—his value to one of the greatest teams in NBA history.

Green has since redeemed himself as best he can, reinforcing his case as the ultimate team player—in game, if not always in affect. One can count on a periodic explosion from Green when he sees something he doesn’t like. One can also expect a steady flow of winning plays from one of the league’s great gamers. There are battles within battles within battles for Green, who is never short a chip on his shoulder. The results are unimpeachable: singular defense, smart facilitation, and a selfless commitment to cause. So many players in recent years have grumbled when asked to shift up a position and guard bigger, stronger opponents. Green seems to relish it. Never is Draymond more in his element than when battling a seven-footer and daring them to step out to the perimeter.

It would be nice if Green finished slightly better around the rim. Otherwise, he is exactly the player he needs to be to catalyze the team game around him. The way Green reads the floor on the move makes it almost useless to trap his point guard (as is so tempting with Stephen Curry). His passing is good for approximately 18 points a night between twos, threes, and free throws, a handful coming through assists at incredible angles. His shooting—while touch and go—offers just enough tug on the defense to keep things moving at all times. And most important of all: Green plays an all-encompassing brand of defense that allows any lesser defenders around him to play to their strengths.

Remember: the most unsolvable defense in the NBA is a high-wire act built on Green’s situational awareness. It’s important that Green is so strong and so mobile. But what makes him functionally irreplaceable—so much so that voters crowned Green the Defensive Player of the Year—is the way he executes. When it comes to the judgment calls that determine success and failure on every defensive possession, Green is a prodigy. Even more valuable than his ability to switch out to the perimeter is that he knows exactly when he needs to.

It’s a rare gift. There is a toggle in his brain between basketball aggression and restraint that has been calibrated to baffling precision. For every case where the wires cross, there are dozens more in perfect process. Such rigor makes one thing clear: Green, the patron saint of getting s*** done, is an absolute menace. — Rob Mahoney

_________________The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. – H. L. Mencken

Former Michigan State players in professional basketballYou know about Draymond Green, Zach Randolph and Gary Harris – former Michigan State stars who have found success in the NBA. But there's a host of other former Spartans players still taking to the hardwood around the world, on nearly every continent. Here's a look at the former Spartans players on rosters, as professional basketball seasons begin around the world this month:

_________________The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. – H. L. Mencken

Zel is completely controlling this game. I read these Bulls articles on the Athletic and they don't even mention him. It's all Dunn and Markanen. Denzel has a bright future in the right offensive system.